Council approves flood-damage ordinance amendments to secure FEMA CRS credits, 8-0
August 11, 2026 | Highlands City Council, Highlands, Harris County, Texas
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The Highland Village City Council voted, by an 8-0 voice vote, to approve ordinance 2026-01337 amending the city code's Chapter 24 (building regulations, flood damage prevention). Staff said the ordinance updates align written language with practices the city already enforces and will be used as evidence to secure CRS credits.
Sunny, who led the CRS effort, summarized the code changes: the ordinance codifies a two-foot elevation standard above Base Flood Elevation for new structures and clarifies the treatment of accessory and storage structures in the special flood hazard area. "We already had 2 feet above the base flood elevation, which is considered a higher standard," she told council, and staff noted the machine- and HVAC-elevation language was added so the city receives credit under the CRS scoring.
Councilman Jaworski moved approval "as read," the motion was seconded and the council carried the item unanimously. Council and staff noted the revisions largely document practices already in place rather than introducing new restrictions on existing residences, and staff said homeowners with partial property lines in the special flood hazard area remain above the minimum elevation standards described in the ordinance.
Why it matters: codifying practices in ordinance form lets the city demonstrate its programmatic actions to FEMA auditors and potentially secure insurance premium discounts for residents through the CRS program. Staff said the ordinance is a required piece of the documentation package the city must submit within the audit's 30-day window.
Sunny, who led the CRS effort, summarized the code changes: the ordinance codifies a two-foot elevation standard above Base Flood Elevation for new structures and clarifies the treatment of accessory and storage structures in the special flood hazard area. "We already had 2 feet above the base flood elevation, which is considered a higher standard," she told council, and staff noted the machine- and HVAC-elevation language was added so the city receives credit under the CRS scoring.
Councilman Jaworski moved approval "as read," the motion was seconded and the council carried the item unanimously. Council and staff noted the revisions largely document practices already in place rather than introducing new restrictions on existing residences, and staff said homeowners with partial property lines in the special flood hazard area remain above the minimum elevation standards described in the ordinance.
Why it matters: codifying practices in ordinance form lets the city demonstrate its programmatic actions to FEMA auditors and potentially secure insurance premium discounts for residents through the CRS program. Staff said the ordinance is a required piece of the documentation package the city must submit within the audit's 30-day window.
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